Nursing practices and lactation amenorrhoea
Elias, M.F.; Teas, J.; Johnston, J.; Bora, C.
Journal of Biosocial Science 18(1): 1-10
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-9320 PMID: 3944143 DOI: 10.1017/s0021932000006441Document Number: 343275
The study examines the effects of nursing practices on the duration of lactation in middle-class American women. Thirty-two nursing mothers were followed for 2 years post-partum, data being collected at eight home visits by interview and by nursing records kept by the mothers. Those women who nursed frequently (> 8/day) during exclusive breast-feeding remained amenorrhoeic longer than infrequent nursers, introduced supplements later and did not resume menses as promptly thereafter. They continued an hour or more of night nursing during supplemented nursing. Duration of exclusive nursing and night nursing after supplementation were the major influences on duration of amenorrhoea. Mothers' age, weight-for-height, and nursing frequency before supplementation showed no significant effect but night nursing after supplementation was a major factor in post-supplementation duration of amenorrhoea. Those women who both supplemented later and maintained an hour of night nursing after supplementing remained amenorrhoeic for 6-10 months longer than those who supplemented early and/or reduced subsequent night nursing.